Turkish Van

Although the Turkish Van breed is ancient,
it is a relative newcomer to the United States. The first Turkish Van
cats (named after the Lake Van region of Turkey) were imported
to England in the 1950s, but the first Turkish Van did not arrive
in the U.S. until 1982. Imports from Turkey are still accepted
into breeding programs, although imports are quite rare as these
cats are considered national treasures in their native land.

The Turkish Van cat is a semi-longhaired cat distinguished
by its unusual pattern: the cat is white except for a colored
tail and color on the head. (This is called the "Van" pattern,
and is seen in other breeds as well). Show cats should not have
color on more than 20% of their bodies. The most sought-after
markings for show are restricted to the head and tail alone. Some
small body spots are tolerated, but not most desirable. Turkish Van kittens can
be found with blue, gold, or odd-eyes. (Odd-eyed means one gold
eye and one blue eye).

The Turkish Van personality is very independent, but affectionate.
They tend to bond strongly to one or two people in a family. Turkish Van cats
are social and remain active well into old age. They are inconsistent
travellers; some travel well, but others are prone to serious
carsickness.

Although they share the word "Turkish"
in their name, the Turkish Van and the Turkish Angora are completely
different cats. Angoras are lithe, with silky fur, and the Turkish
Vans are more heavily built with a plush coat.

Interesting fact: Many Turkish Van cats are
fond of water and swimming. In their native Turkey near Lake Van,
they can often be found swimming in warm, shallow pools. Owners
of Turkish Vans must be careful about allowing unsupervised access
to water, including baths and toilets! Turkish Van kittens can get into particular trouble with this fascination. Even Vans who don't enjoy
swimming are nonetheless fascinated by water, well known for dunking
toys in water dishes and playing in dripping faucets. Some even
learn to turn on faucets for more playtime fun.

Associations: The Turkish Van is accepted by most major
cat registries.